Hyderabad: 12-year-old boy recovers from COVID after 65 days of ECMO support

In a rare case, a 12-year-old boy who was infected with COVID-19 has been on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences for 65 days before his recovery on Friday.

Shaurya was flown-in from Midland Healthcare and Research Centre, Lucknow in a chartered flight and admitted to KIMS in Hyderabad for ECMO therapy. An expert team of doctors led by Program Director, KIMS Heart and Lung Transplant Institute, Dr Sandeep Attawar, closely monitored the organ functions, enhanced nutrition while Shaurya was on ECMO support.

"Shaurya's lungs were fully affected when he was admitted to hospital and failed to supply oxygen. He was kept on ECMO support and his lungs were rested and gradually allowed to heal on their own. During the time, his lungs were healed and able to support him," Dr Vijil Rahulan, Chief, Transplant Pulmonology, KIMS, said.